Apple is offering free repairs for MacBook Pros suffering video playback issues and unexpected restarts, the company announced this week.

Owners of affected laptops in the United States and Canada can contact Apple to have their MacBook Pro repaired beginning today. Apple posted a notice on its website explaining symptoms to look for, affected models, and options for MacBook Pro owners to have their machine repaired.

Apple will begin offering the free repair service in other countries beginning on Feb. 27.

A "small percentage" of MacBook Pros sold between February 2011 and December 2013 "may exhibit distorted video, no video, or unexpected system restarts," Apple said. Products affected include 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros manufactured in 2011, as well as 15-inch MacBook Pros with Retina displays manufactured from mid-2012 to early 2013, the company said.

If you have a MacBook Pro exhibiting video or restart issues, you can simply bring the laptop into an Apple Store or Apple authorized service provider, which can be located with Apple's service provider location tool.

Alternatively, affected units can be mailed to a local Apple Repair Center on the company's dime. In the U.S., just call Apple Support at (800) 275-2273 to ask for a postage paid box for sending your laptop to your local Apple Repair Center.

Apple also cautioned anyone bringing in or mailing in a MacBook Pro for repair to back up their data. Laptops with "any damage which prevents the repair, such as a cracked screen" will have to have those problems fixed during service and owners may be charged for those additional repairs, the company said.

Those who have already paid for repairs to fix video and restart issues with their MacBook Pros can be reimbursed, the company said. Apple said it is actively contacting such customers to arrange reimbursement and also encouraged those who believe they paid to fix an affected laptop to contact the company to be reimbursed.

About the Author

Damon Poeter got his start in journalism working for the English-language daily newspaper The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand. He covered everything from local news to sports and entertainment before settling on technology in the mid-2000s. Prior to joining PCMag, Damon worked at CRN and the Gilroy Dispatch. He has also written for the San Francisco Ch... See Full Bio

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